Recovering in seclusion from skull surgery, Argentine president is likely to see former loyalist emerge as frontrunner to replace her following congressional elections

A charismatic young Argentine mayor who broke from the inner circle of President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner is set to emerge from crucial elections on Sunday as a frontrunner to replace her.

On doctors' orders, the fiery left-wing leader will not even be watching the news as she recovers in seclusion from skull surgery, but opinion polls indicate that her ruling Victory Front coalition will lose ground in congressional and provincial elections.

Mrs Kirchner still has two years to serve. But in the volatile world of Argentine politics, a setback at the ballot box is expected to spark a spate of defections within the populist Peronist movement that dominates the country.

Sergio Massa, 41, Mrs Kirchner's former cabinet secretary who is now mayor of the tourist city of Tigre, has emerged as the face of the opposition after a strong showing in a first round of voting in August.

He goes into the polls leading Mrs Kirchner's hand-chosen candidate in the race to become the next governor of Buenos Aires province, a powerful position that would put him on a collision course with his former boss.

"It will initiate the internal succession process within Peronism, and the first very visible expression of this will be lawmakers switching sides," Argentine political analyst Ignacio Fidanza, who directs lapoliticaonline.com, told The Associated Press.

Normally an outspoken figure on the campaign trail, the 60-year old Mrs Kirchner has been absent from the hustings since surgeons operated to drain a blood clot from her skull on October 6.

She underwent follow-up tests on Wednesday to make sure there was no re-appearance of the clot that formed after a previously unreported fall in August. Although aides insist that she is recovering well, the lack of information about her condition is raising doubts about her health and strength.

Doctors have ordered her to avoid all stress until the second week of November, a schedule that means she will miss political scramble that will follow today's elections.

The elections will mark the start of the final phase of Kirchner rule in Argentina that began when her late husband Nestor won the presidency in 2003.

Her popularity has sunk in line with the country's sagging economic fortunes as her free-spending policies have caused soaring inflation rates, stagnant growth and a slide in overseas investment.

A future leader is expected to end her confrontational approach over the Falklands and seek to re-establish co-operating with Britain and the islanders to developing natural resources in the South Atlantic.